In situ pore-scale visualization of immiscible three-phase flow at high pressure and temperature

A. Scanziani*, K. Singh, T. Bultreys, B. Bijeljic, M. J. Blunt

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

We have used X-ray micro tomography techniques to obtain high quality three-dimensional images of the pore space of a water-wet Ketton carbonate sample and the fluids within it, after the injection of three phases (brine, oil and gas) in a sequence involving oil injection into a fully water-saturated pore space, waterflooding, gas injection and secondary waterflooding. The rock was imaged dry initially, and then again after each injection step, to obtain the saturation of the phases, oil recovery and gas trapping capacity. A maximum ball pore network extraction algorithm was applied on the dry images and used to obtain statistics of pore occupancy. The results are in line with the theories of a uniform water-wet system and with the published outcomes of pore-network simulators: the pore and throat centres of smallest and largest pores are respectively occupied by brine and gas, while the oil resides in the cavities with intermediate size. High resolution images were used to study double displacement and the nature of trapping; the thickness of oil layers were also measured from the images. The results can improve the predicitvity of three-phase flow simulators and improve the efficiency of CO2 storage and utilization.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication80th EAGE Conference and Exhibition 2018
PublisherEAGE Publishing BV
ISBN (Electronic)9789462822542
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 11 Jun 2018
Event80th EAGE Conference and Exhibition 2018 - Copenhagen, Denmark
Duration: 11 Jun 201814 Jun 2018
https://events.eage.org/en/2018/eage-annual-2018

Conference

Conference80th EAGE Conference and Exhibition 2018
Country/TerritoryDenmark
CityCopenhagen
Period11/06/1814/06/18
Internet address

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geophysics
  • Geochemistry and Petrology

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